Universal type I.C./non-type I.C. recessed downlight housing can assembly and method for marking the can assembly

Abstract

A universal housing can assembly used as a component of a recessed downlight fixture and which can be utilized in both insulation contact (I.C.) and non-insulation contact (non-I.C.) applications. The preferred housing can is deep drawn of aluminum or other suitable materials and is configured to operate at or below thermal standards for I.C. applications and also for non-I.C. applications. The housing can assemblies formed according to the invention utilize thermal protective devices positioned within the assemblies to shut the fixture off or "cycle" the fixture in the event that predetermined thermal conditions are exceeded in either an I.C. or a non-I.C. application. According to the invention, a single can assembly can be used as and marked as both I.C. and non-I.C. housing cans.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A downlight fixture having a pan support, a junction box and a can mounting a first lamp having a first preferred wattage for an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a second preferred wattage for a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being useable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for operating the fixture in either an insulation contact installation or a non-insulation contact installation at said respective preferred wattages, said means comprising a thermal protection device mounted on a surface of the can for sensing the existence of a first temperature when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation, the can being formed of a material and having a volume causing surfaces of the can to maintain a temperature not to exceed the first temperature in an insulation contact installation and not to exceed the second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with the respective lamps of the respective preferred wattages. 
     
     
       2. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
       3. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can is formed of steel. 
     
     
       4. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the thermal protection means comprises a thermal protector mounted to the can by means of snap-fit elements formed on the protector, the snap-fit elements engaging apertures formed in a wall of the can, the apertures being aligned with and disposed in proximity to an aperture formed in the can into which a conduit from the junction box is received. 
     
     
       5. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can comprises a lower cylindrical body portion, a first frusto-conical body portion terminating the cylindrical body portion medially of the can, a second frusto-conical body portion terminating the first frusto-conical body portion and a top terminating the second frusto-conical body portion. 
     
     
       6. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can is marked with a label indicating uses of the fixture in both insulation contact and non-insulation contact installations. 
     
     
       7. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can comprises a lower cylindrical body portion and an upper frusto-conical body portion terminating the cylindrical body portion and a top terminating the frusto-conical body portion. 
     
     
       8. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the thermal protection means mounted to an interior wall of the can at a location at which the thermal protection means indicates the existence of a temperature exceeding 90° C. when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and 150° C. when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       9. The fixture of claim 8 wherein the thermal protection means is located approximately 2.5 inches from a lower perimetric edge portion of the can. 
     
     
       10. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the lamp is a 75 W BR lamp when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       11. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the lamp is a 150 W BR lamp when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       12. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the can is approximately 7.5 inches in height and 245 cubic inches in volume. 
     
     
       13. The fixture of claim 12 wherein the can is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
       14. The fixture of claim 13 wherein the can has a wall thickness which is a minimum of 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       15. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the can is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
       16. The fixture of claim 15 wherein the can has a wall thickness which is a minimum of 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       17. The fixture of claim 5 wherein the junctures between the body portions of the can and between the second frusto-conical body portions and the top of the can are seamless. 
     
     
       18. The fixture of claim 7 wherein junctures between the body portions of the can and between the upper frusto-conical body portion and the top of the can are seamless. 
     
     
       19. A can forming a lamp housing in a downlight fixture, the can being used in a fixture in both insulation contact and non-insulation contact installations, the can having a thermal protection means mounted thereon for indicating the existence of a first temperature on a surface of the can when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature on a surface of the can when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation when the fixture is in use with lamping of predetermined wattages in said insulation contact and non-insulation contact installations. 
     
     
       20. The can of claim 17 wherein the can is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel. 
     
     
       21. The can of claim 17 wherein the can is a one-piece can. 
     
     
       22. The can of claim 19 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       23. The can of claim 19 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can and operates the fixture in response to an inner wall surface temperature of the can. 
     
     
       24. The can of claim 19 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can, the thermal protection means controlling operation of lamping to discontinue operation of the lamping in the event that the first temperature is reached or exceeded in an insulation contact installation or in the event that the second temperature is reached or exceeded in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       25. The can of claim 19 wherein the can is formed of aluminum and has a wall thickness which is a minimum of 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       26. The can of claim 19 wherein the can is formed of steel and has a wall thickness equal to or less than 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       27. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       28. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the thermal protection device is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can and operates the fixture in response to an inner wall surface temperature of the can. 
     
     
       29. A method for producing a can forming a lamp housing in a downlight fixture, the can being used in a fixture in both insulation contact and non-insulation contact installations, comprising the steps of: selecting a lamp including specification of wattage, shape, type or types and position for each of the installations;   selecting a material and material thickness from which the can is to be formed for both installations;   forming the can to dimensions including but not limited to volume, aperture, surface area and shape, which dimensions, material and thickness being capable of providing necessary heat loss capability in both installations; and,   locating in association with the can a thermal protector having a given rating which will operate on the occurrence of can surface temperatures higher than a given range of temperature values in each of the installations.   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29 and further comprising the step of selecting a trim capable of functioning as insulation contact only or insulation contact/non-insulation contact when in an insulator contact installation or as non-insulation contact only or insulation contact/non-insulation contact when in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       31. In a downlight fixture having a can mounting a first lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a first preferred wattage for use in an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a second preferred wattage for use in a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for operating the fixture in an insulation contact installation at or below the first preferred wattage of the first lamp and in a non-insulation contact installation at or below the second preferred wattage of the second lamp. 
     
     
       32. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein said means comprise thermal protection means mounted on a surface of the can for preventing the temperature of said can from exceeding a predetermined first temperature on use of the fixture in an insulation contact installation and from exceeding a predetermined second temperature on use of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       33. The downlight fixture of claim 32 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of a surface of the can. 
     
     
       34. The downlight fixture of claim 32 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       35. The downlight fixture of claim 32 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can. 
     
     
       36. The downlight fixture of claim 35 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an inner wall surface of the can. 
     
     
       37. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein said means is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can and operates the fixture through sensing the temperature of an inner wall surface of the can. 
     
     
       38. The downlight fixture of claim 37 wherein said means comprise thermal protection means for preventing the temperature of said inner wall surface of the can from exceeding a predetermined first temperature on use of the fixture in an insulation contact installation and from exceeding a predetermined second temperature on use of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       39. The downlight of claim 36 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       40. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the can is formed of a material and has a volume which causes the can to maintain a first temperature not to exceed a predetermined first temperature in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature not to exceed a predetermined second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with said lamps of said specified preferred wattages. 
     
     
       41. The downlight fixture of claim 40 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       42. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the can is formed of aluminum. 
     
     
       43. The downlight fixture of claim 42 wherein the can has a wall thickness which is a minimum of 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       44. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the can is formed of steel. 
     
     
       45. The downlight fixture of claim 44 wherein the can has a wall thickness which is less than 0.032 inch. 
     
     
       46. The downlight fixture of claim 32 wherein the can comprises a lower cylindrical body portion, a first frusto-conical body portion terminating the cylindrical body portion medially of the can, a second frusto-conical body portion terminating the first frusto-conical body portion and a top terminating the second frusto-conical body portion. 
     
     
       47. The downlight fixture of claim 46 wherein junctures between the body portions of the can and between the second frusto-conical body portion and the top of the can are seamless. 
     
     
       48. The downlight fixture of claim 32 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an interior wall of the can at a location at which the thermal protection means prevents the temperature of the can from exceeding a predetermined first temperature on use of the fixture in an insulation contact installation and from exceeding a predetermined second temperature on use of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation. 
     
     
       49. The downlight fixture of claim 48 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90° C. and the second temperature is approximately 150° C. 
     
     
       50. The downlight fixture of claim 48 wherein the thermal protection means is located approximately 2.5 inches from the lower perimetric edge portion of the can. 
     
     
       51. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the first lamp is a 75 W BR lamp. 
     
     
       52. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the second lamp is a 150 W BR lamp. 
     
     
       53. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the can comprises a lower cylindrical body portion and an upper frusto-conical body portion terminating the cylindrical body portion and a top terminating the frusto-conical body portion. 
     
     
       54. The downlight fixture of claim 53 wherein the junctures between the body portions of the can and between the upper frusto-conical body portion and the top of the can are seamless. 
     
     
       55. The downlight fixture of claim 31 wherein the first preferred wattage is less than the second preferred wattage, the first lamp thereby being unusable as the second lamp in a non-insulation contact installation.